1. Technical Field
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention relate to controlling a bedroom environment and to providing data to a person relating to their sleep experience. In particular, these systems and methods relate to measuring, analyzing and controlling environmental aspects of a bedroom and a sleep system to promote a healthy sleep period.
2. Description of the Related Art
As described in “History of Sleep Physiology and Medicine,” by William C. Dement, for example, there has been scientific interest in sleep for many years. However, despite sleep-related discoveries such as the electrical activity of the brain, the arousal systems, the circadian system, and rapid eye movement sleep, the field of sleep medicine as a medical field has emerged only recently (i.e., within the last forty years). The field of sleep medicine is rapidly evolving as new sleep problems are recognized, new treatments are delivered, new sleep related needs are recognized, and an understanding of the complexity of sleep is developed.
A wide variety of factors influence a person's quality of sleep. Among these factors, the environmental aspects of a bedroom and a sleep system, are especially important. For example, environmental factors including, but not limited to, ambient temperature, near-body temperature, relative humidity, near-body humidity, ambient lighting, sound, etc., can all affect a person's quality of sleep either independently or in combination. As discussed herein, a sleep system may comprise all aspects of a bedding assembly including, but not limited to, mattresses, box springs, foundation units, bed frames, pillows, mattress pads, linens and, more generally, to any type of sleep product that influences a person's sleep.
Conventional devices can detect whether a person is snoring and thereafter adjust a mattress to an inclined position in response to such detections. Such conventional systems employ load cell technology, according to which one or possibly two force sensors are placed underneath a mattress to measure weight changes over the sensors. Conventional systems have also been developed to remotely control room lighting and room temperature, however such control is based on the personal preferences of a user and performed by the user consciously and intentionally. Further, conventional systems have been developed that employ heating or cooling elements for a mattress.
However, there is a need for systems and methods that continuously measure and analyze how a person is sleeping and, based on such measurements, automatically control many different environmental aspects of the person's bedroom and sleep system so as to continuously provide the person with the most suitable bedroom and sleep system environment throughout the night and, thereby, promote better sleep. There is also a need for such systems that are integrated into a mattress, rather than having sensors disposed separately underneath the mattress. Moreover, there is a need for systems and methods that automatically control the environmental aspects of the person's bedroom and sleep system based on how a person is sleeping, rather than, or in addition to, the person's personal preferences and the person's conscious control of those environmental aspects.